Millions of people face immense basic needs supply challenges on a daily basis. Food, water, sanitation, waste management, education, healthcare, and mobility are too expensive or not available across the developing world.
Yet, appropriate technological solutions can level out acute deficits and offer diverse opportunities for independent economic activities and urgently needed income. Siemens Stiftung Foundation believes the use of technology along with social entrepreneurship improves quality of life and social structures.
Empowering People Award
Siemens Stiftung Foundation’s Empowering People Award has 200,000€ for low technological solutions or products with sound business potential to solve basic supply problems in developing countries.
- Main winners: 50,000 Euros, 30,000 Euros, 20,000 Euros
- Runners-up: 7 x 10,000 Euros each
- Special WASH Award: 20,000 Euros
- Community Prize: 10,000 Euros
All winners gain from a long-term membership in Empowering People Network that offers various support opportunities plus the solutions will be endorsed in the online Solutions Database to bring them under an international spotlight enhancing scope and impact.
Apply online by October 31st, 2018, 24:00 CET
Award Categories
Apply now if you have a solution already be in use that focuses on one of these issues:
- Water & Sanitation: Solutions should enable individuals or communities to create, maintain and manage their water supply and/or their waste water treatment.
- Energy: Sustainable energy provided by solar, water, wind, or other sources, could be used for mobility, electricity, cooking, heating, manufacturing, etc.
- Food & Agriculture: The usage of technology can considerably improve harvest, processing, and distribution of food, even in regions with poor soil or climate conditions.
- Waste Management: Solutions should have a lasting impact on the improvement of solid waste management and thus saving resources and improving living conditions.
- Healthcare: e-health solutions or technologies to educate individuals or communities on the subjects of health and nutrition.
- Mobility & Infrastructure: Solutions can focus on sustainable renewable energy transportation of freight and people using inland modes of transport like road, railways or waterways.
- Financial Technology: Solutions may facilitate management of microfinance for communities or provide viable mobile financial services to non-banking communities.
- Education & Training: Solutions should improve the education in various fields including school subjects, crafts, health, hygiene, environmental issues or entrepreneurial skills at schools or in vocational training.
Award Evaluation
Siemens Stiftung Foundation’s Empowering People Award entries will be evaluated according to the following four criteria:
- Technology: What is the technical functionality and feasibility (resources at hand, functionality and reliability in local conditions) and environmental performance?
- Social impact: What is the potential to help solve basic supply problems and help with income generation, job and training opportunities.
- Business: What is the business model and financial resources, the status of the Proof of Concept (time of operation, revenue streams, earnings), and the financial planning and scaling options.
- Team/Organization: What is the team competence and experience and organizational structure.
Seems like a lot of work for a maximum of 50,000 euros. I feel like Siemens could do a little better than that if they want to make an impact. I think I will pass.
Dear Jason,
please let me clarify that this is done by Siemens Stiftung (Foundation) which is a independent legal entity form Siemens company.
With the empowering people. Award also comes the membership in the empowering people. Network which is a network of like-minded social entrepreneurs and start-ups. The networks offers a wide range of coaching,communication, trainings, expert sources and individial support that goes far beyond the prize money.
Finally from our experiences, for most start-ups working in developing regions 50,000 Euros is a very meaningful contribution to their work.
Best,
David Hoffmann
-empowering people. Award – Team –
Buenas noches quería consultar, si se puede participar con una idea de proyecto o necesariamente debo llevar un producto que ya esté terminado.
Lo pregunto porque mi equipo ha planteado una solución interesante que es demostrable teóricamente, pero que aún no se ha puesto en práctica.
Buenas dias Eduardo,
exigimos como un minimo un prototipo de producto – una soluccion que es solo demonstrable teoricamente no es sufficiente.
Saludos!
David Hoffmann
-empowering people. Award – Team –
I have a cool project though I may need a minimum of 20,000 Euros
What is your cool project? And why not apply for this award, and you may want to look at our other funding opportunities too.
I want to know where and how I can participate for this award?? After knowing then I will share what me and my organisation have done..
The empowering people. Award is open for individuals, teams, organizations or enterprises from any region in the world who comply with the terms & conditions of the award. A submitting enterprise has to follow values such as fairness, social responsibility and must not be a microfinance institution, private equity fund, or deposit taking institution.
I have a good idea for the first time in my life and I want to use it to change lives in my community on 4 areas but am failing access the application link . please assist me on how to get the link.
Here is the link to apply for the award money
I have an innovation in the education but I’m limited with funds to start and put it into life, Please are my ideas eligible for this awards and are their other opportunities for project funding
You should apply for the Siemens Stiftung Foundation grant funding in Education & Training. Your solution should improve the education in various fields including school subjects, crafts, health, hygiene, environmental issues or entrepreneurial skills. Technological solutions for education and training can support the widespread sharing of knowledge and the effectiveness of education whether at schools or in approaches to vocational training.
When shall we get response for the application submitted?
Dear Fred,
I can confirm that we received your application. The evaluation process will take some time.
Best,
David
– empowering people. Award – Team-
Thanks for response, we shall wait for your response.
We did receive your application! Thanks and good luck!
I have a good idea for the first time in my life and I want to use it to change lives in my community on some areas. Finally from our experiences, for most start-ups working in developing reason but insufficient fund.
So I search & need funding source.
Best regards.
Abdul Halim
Bangladesh
I have an innovation in the education but I’m limited with funds to start and put it into life, Please are my ideas eligible for this awards and are their other opportunities for project funding. Lot of experience; implementation Education; Training, health, hygiene, environmental issues, entrepreneurial skills, Water; Sanitation etc.
Below the list implementation project & Funded By
01 Emergency Programme for Post Cyclone rehabilitation 1991- 1992 British ODA
02 Sanitation programme for the extremely low income people of the slum area & refuge camp
– 1993-94 CAFOD, UK
03 Socio –economic Project 1993-94 CRS,U.S.A
04 Socio-economic & Preventive Health Education Programme (Phase 1) with interim
– 1996-2000 BILANCE,The Netherlands
05 Women Development and Poverty Alleviation Programme 1997-2000 Andheri Hilfe e.v.Bonn, Germany
06 Motivational Work On Mitigation & Prevention of Arsenic in Tube- well Water
– 1997-1998* EU, GoB
07 Non Formal Education Programme
– 1998-2001 CORD-AID, Netherlands
08 Poverty Alleviation Programme For Distressed Women ( Phase 1)
– 1999-2000 Presbyterian Hunger Programme U.S.A
09 Emergency Post Flood Rehabilitations Programme for CORD-AID Partner
– 1999-2000 Andheri Hilfe Germany
10 Poverty Alleviation Programme For Distressed Women ( Continuation) Phase II
– 2000-2001 Presbyterian Hunger Programme U.S.A
11 Women development and Poverty Alleviation Programme (Continuation) – Phase II
– 2000-2003 Andheri Hilfe, Germany
12 Socio-economic & Preventive Health Education Programme (Phase II )
– 2000-2002 CORD-AID, Netherlands
13 Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health (ASEH-Urban)
– 2004-2010 Water-Aid (Bangladesh) and NGO Forum
14 Capacity and Working Environment Enhancement Programme
– 2007-2009 Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh
15 Prevention of HIV/STI/AIDS in Chittagong City Corporation in Bangladesh
– 2011 Embassy of Ireland
16 Primary Prevention of HIV & Risk Reduction through Work- place Interventions in Garments Industriuies (GFATM)
– 2011-2013 Global Fund, Save the Children, Ministry of Health
17 Eradication of Hazardous Child Labour in Bangladesh (3 rd Phase)
– 2012-2014 Ministry of Labour and Employment (GoB)
18 Community based Movement to Prevent Child Trafficking (Continuation)
– 2015 Childreach International U.K
19 Improving implementation of Lows & prosecution through 1 st July 2016 to Associate for Advocacy International Hunger Concern/PCUSA
20 Promoting Community Sanitation and Water Supply and Hygienic Education
– 2016-2017 Japan Water Forum Ongoing Project of BISAP:Sl.
Community based conflict management between human and wild elephant, Bangladesh
– 2018 International Elephant Foundation U.S.A
04 Employment and income generating activities Community support and BISAP
03 Educational & Vocational Training Programme with Street Children and Child Workers
2018 International Children
May I there fore Pray hope accept and grant my Innovation Award application,take necessary step.
Best regards
Abdul Halim
Director, Bangladesh Integrated Social Advancement Programme (BISAP), Chittagong. Bangladesh
I am also interested to apply for the Innovation Award for your Technology Solution, but I have a question before I move forward.
We as a company (ChipukaTZ) have been implementing MIFOS X in Tanzania since 2015 and we have customers since then. But we face many challenges since most MFI’s do not afford to pay for MIFOS X implementations to their business but they like to use it. MIFOS X is an open source platform which automates Microfinance processes, it is under Apache as Fineract and MIFOS X is a community web application.
So we need funds so as to be able to customize MIFOS X into our local language and implement it to these MFI’s without charging initial costs but we will charge them later after they have stabilized in their businesses yearly fees, since we do SAAS (Software As a Service) business model. Please respond to us if we may fit to apply for this grand!
Good question. The rules say that a submitting enterprise has to follow values such as fairness, social responsibility and must not be a microfinance institution, private equity fund, or deposit taking institution. So while you’re not an MFI, they may not choose you because you service MFIs
Wayan is completely right, you must not be a microfinance institution which you apprently aren’t. I can tell you as much as that you would definitely be eligible to receive an empowering people. Award!
Dear Wayan Vota
i am writing you from pakistan , i am head of not for profit and we are empowering the women and farmaer we want to apply for funding to boost the agriculture by using the innovative technology as i think we grow more food for humanity so can you support us to to produce food for humanity .
and i also want work as jointly with you on innovative idea that can replicate for betterment of humanity in our country please.
i want to see a better and peace full world for for humanity.
Hi, my idea is on failures in health care and education and training. Can more than one sector be chosen?